In fact, in order to even get inside, you first have to find the slick, unmarked glass-paned door. An unlisted address, because the kind of people who join-successful, powerful, driven-value discretion above all. You probably haven't heard of it, because it's not explicitly advertised anywhere (or because you don't live in New York, the only place special enough for this very special Equinox). And the more personal it became, the more special it had to be: In 2016, folks will pay almost any amount of money to achieve the level of privacy and luxury and individual attention they feel suits their life, or their “lifestyle.” Nobody has understood this better than Equinox, which has brought the innocent gymnasium-the ancient Greeks are either rolling or fist-pumping in their graves-to its evolutionary peak: the E club. Soon, your choice of gym began to say something about you- your taste, your goals, your bodily ideal. And then, in the waning years of the second millennium, there was Equinox, a gym that brought the men and women of New York's top tax brackets under one roof and stripped the gym experience of the greasiness, the odor, the human stain of the iron-pumping set. In came Curves and Planet Fitness and New York Sports Club and Crunch, where even the logo reassured you that the experience wasn't for wimps. People couldn't get enough of these gyms, and they soon began to proliferate under the watchful eye of corporate America, with a distinct flavor for each crowd. Only weight lifters lifted weights then women did aerobics. Fast-forward a dozen-plus centuries: These dumbbells found homes in new types of gymnasiums-now they're called gyms, because this isn't ancient Greece anymore-like Gold's Gym, where puffy and steroidal men would train (not quite nude) to compete in the public game of self-worship. In these gymnasiums were halteres, a form of weights that would evolve into dumbbells.
Open spaces in ancient Greece where men trained, often nude, to compete in public games. Accessed February 23, 2008.In the beginning, there were gymnasiums. "Choosing a health club", MSNBC Health, December 19, 2003. The earliest health clubs designed for the general public were probably the ones started back in 1947 when Vic Tanny opened an exercise facility in a Second Street loft in Santa Monica, California. The Gymnase Triat is significant because it was among the first clubs to charge for membership the gym had different rates for men, women and children Hippolyte Triat, a former vaudevillian strongman, opened a gymnasium in Paris in 1847, apparently responding to this rising interest in exercise. "Best Practices for Fitness Center Business Sustainability: A Qualitative Vision".
^ León-Quismondo, Jairo García-Unanue, Jorge Burillo, Pablo ().International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
"Service Perceptions in Fitness Centers: IPA Approach by Gender and Age". These health clubs, especially in the United States, are equipped with a range of facilities and provide personal trainer support. The membership plans vary from as low as $20 per month, for value-priced gyms to as high as $700 per month.
#Super health club history pro#
Some of the health and fitness facilities use cardio equipment, fitness screening, resistance-building equipment, pro shops, artificial sun-beds, health spas and saunas. Some services have differently-priced levels or tiers, such as regular, pro, platinum and gold facilities or packages. Health clubs in North America offer a number of facilities and services with different price points for different levels of services. Such memberships often have a high up-front cost but a lower monthly rate, making them potentially beneficial to those who use the club frequently and hold their memberships for years. These one-time fees are commonly referred to as day passes.Ĭosts can vary through the purchase of a higher-level membership, such as a Founders or a Life membership. In addition, some clubs - such as many local YMCAs and JCCs - offer per-use punch cards or one-time fees for those seeking to use the club on an as-needed basis. A recent study of American clubs found that the monthly cost of membership ranged from US$15 per month at basic chain clubs that offer limited amenities to over US$200 per month at spa-oriented clubs that cater to families and to those seeking social activities in addition to a workout. Health clubs offer many services and as a result, the monthly membership prices can vary greatly.